The Thing

Do the thing cuz you love doing the thing. Dori Patrick

I've been micro organizing and cleaning in the studio....and finally uncovered my table in front of the window....so it was time to paint. Cuz even though I'm not that great at it...I do love to play with watercolor. 

This is what I did last night....just simple circles and wavy lines in blues and greens with a touch of gold. It was OKish in the light of day...but I thought it needed something more. This whole journal is about experimenting...and I usually go a bit too far.

For better or worse....here's where I ended up today. I wanted to add some other pops of color so I used polka dotted paper to punch circles out of circles to create rings. I didn't want to cover up the gold centers and cutting holes in fabric would have been too hard.  I'm not sure I love it...and I just decided that I will soften the paper pieces tomorrow with some zinc white paint. I do like the left side better...and I'll like even more when I neutralize the paper. I'll let you know how it works out.

If I do this again I'll use fused fabric...it pairs better with the watercolor. But the most important thing is I'm back doing something I love to do.

Go Little!

We had a new garage door installed this morning....and that meant moving things out of the way...and then moving them back. Time well spent because we love our new perfectly working door. But mostly I was awestruck by the skills and kindness of the man who installed the door. It seemed like a big job for just one man...and when I commented on that fact...he said it's just like putting together a puzzle. I get that! 

After taking about micro thinking the last couple of days...I had to chuckle when I saw this quote from Donna Ashworth: When everything feels too big, go little! Wrap yourself with grace and space, nibble your to-do list one tiny bite at a time. 

Today is the anniversary of the January 6th insurrection.....an event so horrific and too big to fully understand. So today I took Donna's advice and wrapped myself with grace and went little.

Paul and I bought this tiny ornament the first year we were married....making it almost 45 years old. 

It didn't make it on the tree this year because the little bell the kids were hanging from had broken off and was nowhere to be found....yet. I couldn't bear to throw it away....so just set it aside. 

As I continue to nibble at tucking away the holiday stuff...I paused and made a repair. I pulled out my little drill bit and a little eye screw...and these little bell-less ringers are ready for Christmas 2026! 

One tiny bite at a time.

Micro Crafting!

My heart is heavy with all that is in the news....most of it scares me. 

But when I went out early this morning to give the bluebirds their breakfast...there was the waning full moon shining through the black tree branches. It was a microdose of calm.

After yesterday's post I've been thinking about how helpful it will be to also tackle chores and tasks in terms of micro steps. As Dotty commented yesterday "the glory of micro!"

I did some micro organizing in the studio today...and it felt wonderful.

And I was tickled when I come across some things in my studio and spontaneously made something quick and simple. One ply of a paper napkin glued onto a card with a tiny fused tree....and just like that I have a sweet little card for someone special.

 This is micro crafting!

Micro Adventures

Thank you for all the kind comments and emails yesterday celebrating the blog anniversary! Anything is possible through the lense of joy. 

Thank you to Ann for this amazing photo of the wolf moon last night through her skylight! 

As part of the New Year's chatter...people are posting and sharing all kinds of intentions for 2026. I don't dwell on those kinds of things....I'm not big on resolutions. But I briefly saw a post that mentioned micro adventures this morning...and it stuck with me. 

I LOVE the concept...and it got me thinking. 

One of the things I wanted to do during the 2025 Holiday Season was visit the lobby of The Lincoln Hotel in Biddeford. It was highly recommended by Jane....as well as Sam and Kelly (who live nearby).....especially during the holidays when the lobby is all decked out for Christmas. But I never got there. 

So I spontaneously decided to have a little micro adventure and headed south.

It describes itself as boutique hotel set in a luxuriously reimagined mill that has defined the community since the 1850's.

It did NOT disappoint. 

The best part is that Sam was able to join me...and we had some quality mother/son time. 

The lobby is huge. It's dark and moody with lots of comfortable living room type seating spaces and places. There are nooks and crannies for intimate quiet conversations for two or more open spaces for larger groups. 

There's a little cafe open during the day and a bar for afternoon and evening. It was just a delight! 

The ceiling in this little nook was covered in sparkles and baubles. 

There are a few other things on my list of local places I want to visit....and others I don't even know about yet. So this is just the first of what I hope are many 2026 micro adventures! 

I already know where the next one will be.

JOY!

Pretty Simple

January 3rd sneaks up on me every year. It's tucked in right after the holidays so easy to miss. I have been joyfully puttering most of my life...but 11 years ago today I started writing about it here. (Thank you Clarke!) 

This is my 4002nd post. It always feels like I should be a bit reflective and maybe say something profound. But the truth is....joy is pretty simple. 

I've been out of sorts for a couple days....I think it happens to us all from time to time! But as I was handling a precious handmade ornament and tucking it away for another year...I was reminded that the small stuff matters. Handling something precious matters. And things that matter bring us joy.

My aunt Beverly made this felted bubblegum ornament....and it's one of my favorites. Beverly is my mom's only sister and the only living relative of that generation on my side of the family.

After I packed her ornament away....I picked up the phone and called my Aunt. 

I was tickled when I held Beverly's ornament next to my actual yellow gumball machine filled with marbles that came from my sister Angie. Angie and Beverly were close....so this pairing felt just right. (pun intended)

Yup! Joy is pretty simple if we allow ourselves to see it in our everyday lives.  Even when we're out of sorts.

Thank you for following along and sharing your joy with me. Here's to the start of year 12 of our collective joyful puttering! 

More Pickles!

Rosy shared Richard Scarry New Year's Resolution Ideas 

and they made me smile. I'm going with more pickles today!

Process and Potential

Subtitle: Do What You Love!

January 1st seemed like a good day to start some new...but also something familiar and comfortable. I've had a pile of art papers from Roseanne and a blank art journal to alter since mid November. Today was the right day to get started. 

I love the process and the potential the journal holds for the recipient for more art and play.

I love that the papers are all Roseanne's...although I may tuck a few of mine here and there. 

I love tearing the pages...then stitching in something new.

I love curating the papers to create interest and flow.

I love the side view.

I love watching the journal evolve and get chunky.

I love finding something I could cut out and stitch in.

Then I loved finding the right contrasting paper for underneath....

...that coordinated beautifully with the paper on the opposite page 

leaving the middle for anything Roseanne wants to add.

And I love little colorful moments that make me smile.

Here's to starting a process I love on this first day of the new year! 

Bring on 2026! There's nothing but potential!